Catalpa Shade is a 22-unit independent living facility for disabled adults in the southern Oregon city of Medford. The typical resident at Catalpa Shade may be a victim of brain trauma or spinal cord injury. Support services for residents are available as appropriate for each individual's needs.
The project takes its name from the mature catalpa tree that graces the front yard. Andrews Architects designed the community room to open onto a patio under the canopy of this tree (shown below in stark mid-winter).
Some of the architectural features for improved accessibility
that have been designed into the building include:
- Wide hallways and doorways
- Oversized elevator
- Roll-in showers
- Ballbearing rollers on operating windows
- Shut off timers on cooktops
- Magnetic door holders on fire doors
- Swingfree closers on apartment doors
- Proximity reader entry control
- Prewiring for computer networks
- Oversized areas of rescue assistance on upper floors
- Kitchens designed to maximize usability by people in wheelchairs
or with impaired mobility
 Kitchen in two-bedroom apartment with generous wheelchair kneespace |
 Kitchens in one-bedroom apartments include peninsula counters |
The Catalpa Shade Apartments project is sponsored by Accessible Space, Inc., of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Access, Inc., of Medford, Oregon, is the project operator. Catalpa Shade development has been funded through the federal HUD 811 program.
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November 2003 at completion of construction (left-right): George Veenker, WCC superintendent; James Andrews, architect; Carl Andry, WCC project manager; and Merry Hart, housing director for Access, Inc. |
General Contractor: WALSH CONSTRUCTION CO.
Design Consultants:
- Project architect: James E. Andrews, ANDREWS ARCHITECTS, Inc.
- Structural engineer: KRAMER GEHLEN & ASSOCIATES
- Mechanical and electrical engineers: HOOD - McNEES, Inc.
- Civil engineer: AGATE ENGINEERING
- Landscape Architect: MACDONALD ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, P.C.
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